YAYAvar

Hyatt Centric Ballygunge Kolkata, 17, Garcha 1st Lane,

Kolkata 700019

Mob: 0 62923 07614

Meal for two: Approximately R3500 + taxes, with alcohol

Imagine you are a nomad wandering through every state of the subcontinent and tasting its cuisine. YAYAvar, which means 'nomad' is dedicated to that nomadic gourmand sampling its way through India.

The 126-seater restaurant has a small 18-seater al fresco section and has muted grey interiors offset with warm terracotta and earth tones. Brick red sofas, cane furniture, earthen pottery as knickknacks along with lots of greenery give life to the space. The outdoor section features terrazzo-lookalike table tops, long dramatic beaten metal drop lights and a high ceiling that brings in dazzling sunlight.

Its menu captures the essence of our country’s highways, railways and popular holiday destinations in its meal. Based in Calcutta, we began with the dishes from the closest destinations to our metro, such as Ghanto Tarkari − an homage to a streetside dish available on the road from Cuttack to Balasore. It is a street-side take on a dahi vada and alur dum chaat served with a side of tomato chutney, raw mango chutney, rotis and a mixed vegetable side called ghanto. Next up was a trip west to Ajmer with Kadhi Kachori which included a deep-fried aloo pyaj kachori with yogurt curry and chilli pickles. From the hills, they served an inventive Sha Phaley the crisp-fried Tibetan treat that was filled with chicken, minced egg and cheese instead of the more conventional filling of minced meat and onions.

For mains, we tried two more Odia dishes including a Chicken Pata Pora and a mutton curry. The Pata Pora, true to its name, includes a leaf-wrapped chicken gently slow-cooked in a bright zingy masala paste and served with a side of roti, toor dal and aloo chaat. The mutton curry is the classic red mutton gravy, similar to mutton gravies of the eastern states. A tangy light refreshing Asomiya Fish Curry served with the fragrant short-grained Gobindobhog rice was another favourite.

Bursting at the seams, we would have been happy to skip desserts had it not been for Hyatt Centric's GM Glen D Souza's firm belief that to miss their house-made gelato, in particular, their Red Cherry Cheesecake gelato would be a crime. Now there was a criminal temptation we gladly gave in to.